Red Route: among villages and vineyards around Monte Orfano.
Itinerari in Franciacorta.
The card.
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Recommended parking: Erbusco, Via Verdi: at the entrance to the street coming from Adro and at the post office.
Quick directions:
- Yes A4 (Rovato or Palazzolo sull'Oglio exit): take the SP51/SP11 towards Erbusco → at the roundabout, take Via Verdi (Strada del Franciacorta). Parking is available immediately before or at the office.
- Brescia: SS510 towards Iseo → Palazzolo sull'Oglio exit → follow signs for Erbusco → take Via Verdi (Franciacorta Road).
- Bergamo: A4 Ospitaletto exit → SS510 towards Brescia → Palazzolo sull'Oglio exit → Erbusco → via Verdi.
The experience.
The third round tested by Franciacortino is the Red Route – Rosé Route.
This time, too, I followed the official route on the Franciacorta Consortium website. It's a loop route starting and finishing in Erbusco, passing through the municipalities of Cazzago San Martino, Rovato, Coccaglio, and Cologne.
Like the Blue Route, this itinerary is open to different interpretations: with a few small adjustments, it can be traveled by mountain bike or racing bike.
Important note on traffic:
During the tests, it was not possible to follow the original route entirely: in the hamlet of Villa Pedergnano (Erbusco), a change in traffic was introduced which prevents passage along Via Villa Pedergnano Sotto.
The updated routes bypass the obstacle by passing through Via Crocefisso, Via Como, Via San Vito and Via Trieste.
This small adjustment does not in any way detract from the overall experience of the release.
In the Rovato section, the original trail leads to the Convent of the Santissima Annunciata, then backtracks and takes the road towards Coccaglio.
Since the climb is entirely cobbled, I recommend racing bikers avoid this section: the convent is still visible, albeit from afar, from the road connecting Rovato to Coccaglio.
Those using a mountain bike can reach the place of worship and tackle the descent that leads to Coccaglio, thus completing the circular tour without having to retrace their steps.
It is important, however, to emphasize that the downhill section located in front of the church is very uneven and suitable only for experienced downhill bikers. I therefore advise opting for the dirt road which is on the right after the parking lot.
📍 A lato trovi i link al profilo Komoot Franciacortino con le tracce GPX di entrambe le versioni.
The tour.
The route begins near the Erbusco Town Hall, along Via Verdi, and heads toward the hamlet of Villa Pedergnano. After a few hundred meters, the first point of historical and architectural interest appears: Villa Lechi, an elegant Renaissance residence distinguished by its harmonious forms and refined integration into the landscape, offering a privileged view of Monte Orfano.
The route continues along roads framed by stone walls, rows of vines, and hedges. After passing the Villa Pedergnano oratory, at the roundabout take the third exit on the left onto Via Crocefisso.
Following this road, you'll reach the intersection with Via Como, where you'll need to turn left again, then immediately turn left again onto Via San Vito. These detours allow you to bypass the new road system introduced on Via Villa Pedergnano Sotto.
At the end of Via San Vito, the bell tower of the Church of San Nicola appears: here, turn right onto Via Trieste and continue towards Cazzago San Martino.
The second municipality along the route is reached via the SP XI, via Iseo, a fairly busy stretch that you follow for about a kilometer before turning right onto Via Sala. From here, the road leads to the hamlet of Calino, the route's access point to the Cazzago San Martino area.
After traversing the narrow streets of the historic center, you reach the parish church of San Michele Arcangelo, the religious and architectural centerpiece of the village. The route continues towards Bornato, ascending Via Basso Castello. Along this stretch, you pass the imposing local fortress, a medieval complex enriched with elegant Renaissance structures and harmoniously nestled into the Franciacorta landscape.
After skirting the walls, the itinerary descends along the ancient fortified perimeter and turns right, encountering the evocative remains of the Pieve di San Bartolomeo, one of the oldest religious testimonies in the area, dating back to the early Middle Ages.
The route then continues towards the Barco hamlet and then continues towards Rovato.
The entrance to Rovato is through the industrial area, along Via per Rovato and then onto Via Montegrappa.
Continue along the latter until you reach the intersection near the Church of San Rocco, where the route turns right onto the street of the same name. From here, you enter Via Marchesi, a characteristic street in the historic center that leads to the view of Quistini Castle, a 16th-century noble residence famous for its gardens. At the roundabout in front of the castle, turn left, reaching the area of the municipal aqueduct tower. The route then continues along Via Martinengo Cesaresco, a central artery that leads to the market square, the beating heart of city life. From here, a right turn opens the final stretch towards the Sanctuary of Santo Stefano and the evocative climb to the Convent of the Santissima Annunciata, one of the most significant panoramic and spiritual points in Franciacorta.
From the Convent of the Most Holy Annunciation, a splendid view opens up over the towns of Coccaglio and Cologne, the next stops on the itinerary.
As already indicated, those tackling the route by mountain bike can choose the dirt road to the right after the parking lot, which allows for a safe descent from the convent to Coccaglio. For those who wish to venture onto the path located in front of the church, maximum caution is recommended in the first section, which is particularly uneven, where it is advisable to dismount.
The last ten kilometers of the loop lead through the historic centers of Coccaglio and Cologne, connected by the scenic route of Via San Pietro and Via Montorfano.
Here you pedal along a comfortable bike path, flanked by an imposing tree-lined avenue, with views of nearby Monte Orfano. The promontory, clearly visible for much of the route, also accompanies the final stretch of the tour, when you return to Erbusco after passing through the hamlet of Spina.
Founder of Franciacortino
I explore Franciacorta by bike, pedaling slowly through stories, roads, and details.
